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State Journal-Register: Rauner makes changes to bill on Medicaid eligibility backlog
Gov. Bruce Rauner Tuesday made changes to a bill designed to address the state’s chronic delays in determining if nursing home residents qualify for Medicaid.
In using his amendatory veto powers on House Bill 4771, Rauner said he had to make changes to limit the state’s financial liability. At the same time, Rauner admitted the state has work to do to speed up the process.
Chicago Tribune: Chicago, don't ape New York's ride-share restrictions
One reason Uber and Lyft are so popular is their ubiquity. You don’t have to wait long after tapping on your app and agreeing on a price. What if, however, there was a limit to the number of Uber or Lyft cars that could ply Chicago streets? Fewer ride-share cars would mean longer wait times for pickups. And with the supply of cars restricted, demand would go up — which would likely lead to higher prices.
That’s what’s in store for New York, after its City Council enacted a one-year moratorium on new vehicle licenses for ride-hailing services. The move effectively caps the number of cars that ride-share giants Uber and Lyft can put on the streets. New York officials say ride-share vehicles have saturated city streets, causing major congestion headaches. New York’s measure also sets a minimum pay rate for ride-share drivers.
WBEZ: Chicago Charter Schools Risk Budget Cuts Without A Fix In Springfield
Trouble is brewing between Chicago Public Schools and charter school officials over how much money charter schools are owed from the school district this year under the state’s new school funding formula.
WBEZ: A Midway Airport Restaurant Company Is Attracting Interest From The Feds
Federal authorities are conducting a criminal investigation into a clout-heavy company that’s a major player in Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s highly touted expansion of concessions at Midway Airport, according to documents obtained by WBEZ.
John Lausch, the U.S. attorney in Chicago, sent a grand jury subpoena to the Chicago Transit Authority on June 7 for an array of records pertaining to a local company called NorthAmerican Concessions Inc.
Daily Herald: Voters rejected new school twice, but Dist. 200 board looks to build it anyway
The Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 school board is expected to approve a $14 million borrowing plan Wednesday to pay for construction of a building the district won’t own and that voters have rejected twice.
The district is commissioning a 41,000-square-foot replacement for the 26,000-square-foot, 60-year-old Jefferson Early Childhood Center across from the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton. But instead of owning it outright, the district will rent the building for roughly $1 million a year from a Utah-based bank that is fronting the cash for the project. At the end of a 20-year lease, the district has the option to take ownership of the new facility.
Daily Herald: Lake County Board members spar over advisory property tax referendum
A divided Lake County Board voted Tuesday to put a question on the Nov. 6 ballot asking if the General Assembly should amend Illinois’ Constitution and ban a statewide property tax increase.
The usefulness of the referendum was questioned by county board members from both sides of the political aisle.
Peoria Journal-Star: Peoria council hears about budget adjustments
Peoria’s budget situation is bad, but officials warned it could be getting worse at Tuesday’s Peoria City Council meeting.
City Manager Patrick Urich outlined a plan he hopes will cover the city’s present $600,000 shortfall but suggested dark clouds loom in the city’s financial future.
State Journal-Register: City council holds off on crack filling contract because of local labor concerns
Citing concerns that the lowest bidder wouldn’t follow a city ordinance to use local workers, city council members voted to hold off on awarding a bid to Denler Inc., a company out of Mokena.
The contract is for filling cracks along the city’s roadways. The company bid was for about $364,500; the next highest bidder was Complete Asphalt Service Co. out of Pittsfield for $447,000.